undefensible
Definition
- Adjective:
- Not capable of being defended: "undefensible" describes something that cannot be protected, justified, or maintained against attack, criticism, or opposition. It applies to physical locations, arguments, actions, or positions.
Usage Examples
- (The location could not be protected militarily.)
- (His stance could not be justified or argued for.)
- (The plan could not be maintained or supported against scrutiny.)
Advanced Usage
- "to render something undefensible": to make a position, argument, or structure impossible to defend.
- The new evidence rendered his entire theory undefensible. (The evidence made the theory impossible to justify.)
- "morally undefensible": describing actions or beliefs that cannot be ethically justified.
- The use of child labour is morally undefensible in any modern society. (It cannot be defended on ethical grounds.)
Variants and Related Words
- Undefended (adj): not protected or guarded; not argued against.
- The undefended border was crossed easily by the invaders. (The border had no protection.)
- Defensible (adj, antonym): capable of being defended or justified.
- His actions were defensible under the circumstances. (They could be justified.)
- Defend (v): to protect from harm or attack; to argue in support of.
- They had to defend their position against strong criticism. (They argued to maintain it.)
Synonyms
- Indefensible: impossible to defend or justify.
- Unjustifiable: not able to be shown to be right or reasonable.
- Unwarranted: not justified or authorized.
- Vulnerable: open to attack or damage.
Related Idioms
- To be on shaky ground: to have a weak or unsupportable position.
- His argument for the policy was on shaky ground and ultimately undefensible. (His reasoning was weak and could not be defended.)
- To have no leg to stand on: to have no basis for an argument or position.
- Without evidence, her claim was undefensible — she had no leg to stand on. (She could not support her claim.)